Sorryyy, was planning to update this last night pero nakatulog ako huhu. Anywaysss habfun ❤

TAMARA

"Is Raven alright?"

Sinulyapan ko si Griffin na biglaang umupo sa tabi ko. I can feel Azriel, on my left, scooting closer. I suddenly miss the intimidating Raia Venetia, who makes any men stray away just from her mere gaze.

I stared at Raven who was having a mental conversation with Lilith. Kanina pa siya nakatayo sa harap ng kabayo at nakikipagtitigan lang dito. Earlier, she acted very strangely too. She woke me up as usual, with her bright grin, but then she avoided everyone else. As if other people didn't matter.

"Hindi ko alam..." I answered.

It's been a day since the training hall incident happened. Nagkaroon ng punishment si Beatrix for using her soulstone on another student. Raven was asleep for the whole afternoon. Akala ko nga until the next day siyang walang malay pero nagulat na lang ako nang pumasok siya sa kwarto at walang pasabing natulog ulit.

Only a few students knew it was Raven. Kaming tatlo lang nina Griffin. We were waiting for the training time to pass by when it happened. Naramdaman ni Griffin ang presensya ni Raven and we also followed Andreas who immediately sprinted. Maliban sa amin, alam din ng buong Elites, as well as Damon and Beatrix. The rest of the students... believed that Sarienne was haunting the academy again.

With the increasing rumor of the prophecy happening, that incident only added to their fear.

Nakakatakot naman talaga. The prophecy promised another war. Kahit nga sina Kuya ay sobrang nag-aalala na rin. They've been on edge for the past week. Fortunately, hindi nila alam ang tungkol kay Raven o baka ipalayo nila ako.

The darkness and the war are the villains of Hiraya after all.

"Wala siyang kibo mula kaninang umaga." Griffin added.

Tumango ako. Maliban sa paggreet niya sa'kin kanina, Raven did not speak the whole morning. Mas nakaka-kaba dahil ngayon ang Selected Exam namin, the name of our competition before the foundation week.

Not that Raven is chatty but her excitement is visible whenever there's an upcoming match. Mas gusto niyang makipag-usap at mag-assess ng mga posibleng kalaban. Her usual smirk is also gone now, replaced by a blank expression on her face. In addition... she wore all black today, from the bodysuit to the boots. Parang pupunta siya sa funeral.

Hindi sa kaniya pero sa makakalaban niya.

Isang tapik ni Azriel ang kumuha sa atensiyon ko. "Damon's here."

I straightened, taking Griffin's curiosity. I watched as Damon walked to the front of our class, briefly glancing at where Raven was standing. Hindi naman siya pinansin ng kaibigan.

Narealize na namin ni Azriel na baka magkapatid si Tsukishima at Raven. It was Azriel who thought of it, after watching the memories in that room and finding out what 'imuoto' means. Nakonpirma lang namin kahapon... and to our surprise, we found out that he's only a half-brother. Si Damon ang talagang kadugo niya.

I guess... that's why even though he seems distant, and Giovanni's the only man aside from Griffin and Azriel who actively talk to us, he seems to always stay close. Hindi man sobrang lapit 'gaya ng tatlo, pero laging nakabantay sa gilid.

Damon instructed us to proceed to the Hantei hall. Doon gaganapin ang Selected exam. Pero bago pumunta doon, kailangan naming magbunot ng papel. It will group us into two: Match A and Match B. The twenty-five people in those groups will be paired up at iyon ang kakalabanin nila sa first round. The winners from both matches will then fight each other for the second round, gano'n din ang twenty-fifth person ng Match A vs sa Match B. Finally, those who win will fight again... but it'll be on the stage with the soulbearers.

Bukas.

Sinulyapan ko si Raven na katabi. Magkasama kami sa Match A, pero mabuti naman at hindi kami na pair-up. Her silence right now is just a calm before the storm.

And I fear that the storm will be something we can never handle.

"Raven, are you feeling okay?" Azriel's direct question made Griffin and I pay attention.

"Hm?" she slowly raised her head and smiled. "Why not, AA?"

The casual use of his nickname quietly calmed me, but looking into Raven's eyes, my blood ran cold. Tumayo siya nang tawagin ang pangalan niya. Siya ang unang lalaban sa grupo namin, at sa nangyari noong nakaraan, not just from yesterday but the Obstacle War incident too, everyone is expecting a lot.

"Ba't namumutla ka, Tam?" tanong ni Griffin na inilapit ang mukha sa'kin. "Parang nakakita ka ng multo!"

A ghost? I guess so. But... the appropriate title would probably be a grim reaper. Because what I saw in Raven's eyes was straight-up murder.

Sobrang lamig ng mga mata niya na kahit ang dulo ng daliri ko ay giniginaw. Her eyes were always sharp and scrutinizing, but now, they were just ready to kill. That every soul who stands in her way would be either walking straight to heaven or dropping to hell.

Sa buong panahon na magkakilala kami, hindi ko pa nakikita ang emosyon na 'yon. Yes, Raven is harsh with her words and sometimes cruel, but she's never that ruthless.

No matter how any other would describe and paint her as.

"She's up against... 'Yan ang kaibigan nina Beatrix, 'di ba? Nakalimutan ko nga lang pangalan niya."

I nodded at Griffin's question. "Something May ata. She's worse than Beatrix, she just hates anyone who threatens hers and Dustine's popularity."

"The fuck?" Giovanni cursed from above. "Gumaganiyan pa sila dito?" he jumped from the top of the seat to sit beside Azriel, putting his arm around the other's shoulder. "Alam mo ba 'to, Az?"

Grumbling, Azriel pushed his hand away. "Not interested."

"Siyempre, ikaw pa. Konti lang naman kinai-interesan mo." he smirked, glancing up at me so I had no choice but to give an awkward smile back.

We're sitting in the waiting room of the Hantei Hall. Nasa left side kaming Match A habang sa right naman ang Match B. Meanwhile, the audience consisted of the academy students who are soulbearers, the academy council, and faculty, as well as the parents of the Selected who attended. I'm not sure if it was a coincidence that Raven was the first one to go up or if it was planned out.

When the ring, that signaled the beginning of the match, echoed in the whole arena, the fastest fight I've ever witnessed happened.

Parang kumurap lang ako. Like the wind that passed by, Raven moved so swiftly on the ring. She was standing on the farthest left, and when the match started, she was suddenly at the opposite end. Hindi lang ako ang napasinghap sa gulat, dahil maging ang kalaban niya ay 'di iyon inasahan. Without waiting for a second, Raven raised her leg high and kicked the girl down.

Sa loob ng limang segundo, bagsak ang kalaban niya.

There was pure silence in the air as the referee counted up to five. It was until he declared Raven the winner that the screaming started.

And my hair rose as I shivered at how terrifyingly dangerous Raven truly is. Hindi nagbibiro sina Griffin at Helios nang tratuhin nilang kakaiba si Raven, o nang sabihin nila na napakadelikado nito. Much more in a fight, because when she's dancing with blades and blood, Raven's warrior seems to grow.

Sandaling tumahimik ang buong arena nang tumunog ng malakas ang high-heeled boots ni Raven. Unlike before, when she would smirk and have a smug look, she was expressionless.

"Galing, Raven!" Griffin praised her when she came to our side.

Sandali akong tumigil. Ngayon ko lang napansin na most sa'min sa Match A ay mga kilala at kaibigan ko. Even Dustine is here!

"Mm." ang tanging sagot niya at umupo sa tabi ko. "Sino kalaban mo?"

"Si... Foster." mahinang sagot ko, pointing at a curly-haired boy when Raven frowned. "He's not that skilled in physical fights because he's an experienced archer like me."

Amusement danced in her eyes. "Magdadalawang-isip pala kayo kung sinong unang susuntok."

"Well, they're not as barbaric as you are, Raven. They can't finish a fight in five seconds like you." Giovanni offered his unwarranted opinion from above.

"Ah, okay." ang tanging sagot ni Raven at hindi na muli kaming pinansin.

Like a deer caught in headlights, I did not know what to do when all eyes landed on me. There was some sort of quiet accusations in their gaze. Siguro'y nagtataka kung bakit ang malamig na pakikitungo ni Raven sa mundo ay hindi nag-apply sa'kin.

Ibinaba ko na lang ang tingin habang kagat-kagat ang labi. Hindi ko din naman po alam kaya huwag niyo 'kong titigan nang ganiyan!

Azriel participated in a match before me, fighting against a guy that Raven had faced before. It ended quickly, lalo na't dahil hindi makasabay ang lalaki sa bilis at lakas ni Az.

Griffin was next. Unfortunately, he was paired with a smirking Giovanni who dealt his winning blow shortly after five minutes. Si Griffin na isang sipa lang ni Raven noon ay kaya rin palang makipagsabayan sa isa sa top-ranking Selected. And after the match, Griffin's attacks seemed to have affected Giovanni's condition.

Nang makita ko ang paglaban ni Damon, I could see why he and Raven are related. They don't move like trained warriors like the others, instead, it's as if they were born to fight. They calculate every step and every move but it doesn't show. Their blows are fluid but strong, attacks rapid and merciless. Alam mong dumadaloy sa dugo nila ang pakikipaglaban.

And Damon, as the strongest student in this academy, finished the fight within seconds.

Ako na ang sumunod.

Nanginginig ang kamay ko nang tumungtong sa ring. I briefly met Sir Andreas' reassuring eyes. Beneath that cold exterior, I can feel him rooting for me. O baka naman na-imagine ko lang din dahil sa sobrang kaba ko.

I know how to fight. I couldn't even count how many times I and my brother rolled down the hill because we attacked each other. Madalas din ay nakikipagwrestling ako sa nakikitang wild bear sa likod ng academy. I prefer archery, but I know how to land punches and kicks, especially with the help of my soulstone.

Ang problema... hindi ako magaling kapag may nanonood nang tao. I'm not as socially reclusive as Azriel because I still enjoy communication and interactions, but I guess, I have stage fright. Iyong kapag marami na ang nanonood sa bawat galaw mo at parang kakainin ka ng mundo kapag may nagawang mali. When that happens, I often find my feet stuck to the ground, chains holding my ankles firmly, and my quick heartbeat blurs my focus.

"Begin!"

Agad na gumalaw ang kalaban. I was on alert then, glancing at every direction to guess where he was about to attack. My eyes glowed in blue as I activated my soulstone, a target circle appearing on the boy's vital points. It was easy to track him down then. He popped on my left, his closed fist raised to attempt a punch when I ducked down and hit his right knee, where one of his slightly-large weak points is located.

Isang mura ang lumabas sa bibig niya at pikit-mata siyang nahulog sa sahig. Mas lalong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko nang dumaong ang sandaling katahimikan sa Hantei Hall.

I couldn't believe it! Usually, I would be panicking when my opponent left my field of vision, but days of training with Raven and Azriel made me used to insane speed. I'm still not the best at defending against quick opponents, but I can react calmly now that I've faced monsters.

Sinamaan ako ng tingin ni Foster. He planted his hand on the ground and pushed his body upside-down to kick me. Umatras ako't hinawakan ang paa niya, to make him lose balance, but he twisted and brought himself up, headbutting me in the process. I staggered, the floor behind catching my back as Foster got away from above.

Then, I suffered a kick on the side of my stomach.

Napaubo ako dahil doon. I could see him smirk from underneath my stray hair and he attempted another kick, but I rolled away to avoid it. Nang makatayo ako, Foster was gesturing for me to come at him, confident about his skill over mine.

Alam ko naman... wala ako masyadong ibubuga sa mga ganito. And I also know... that Beatrix is right.

I come from a family of protectors but I couldn't even protect myself. I am a shame of my family's lineage and honor. But the thing is... I try, I train, and even just a little, I improve. Kaya kagaya nang dating sinabi ni Raven, hindi ako magpapatalo, kahit na maging sobrang dumi ng damit ko at magkapasa ang buong katawan.

They'll always be arrogant toward me because I'm weaker than the rest of our group. Iyon nga lang, nakakalimutan din siguro ata nila na hindi basta-basta ang soul magic ko.

Foster initiated the attack again, suddenly appearing below my chin for an uppercut. I moved my head to the left and kneed him in the gut, making him abruptly stop and stare at me wide-eyed. Then I pulled his head back by the hair so I could make my first, straight punch.

Sa lakas nito ay halos mawalan ako ng balanse at natumba siya.

I thought that finished the match or at least, made him unconscious, but his grip on my ankle said otherwise. Bumaon ang kuko niya sa balat ko at gusto kong magmura sa sakit. The referee started counting, stopping at five when Foster found his way up.

And without a say, he slapped me across the face.

The pure surprise made my reaction time slower. Kaya hindi ko napansin ang paparating niyang sipa. I was sent flying to the farthest corner of the ring, almost leaving the stone platform if it wasn't for my hand digging on the floor. My vision swam and I couldn't speak for a second, the blood coating my tongue thickly.

"Naging arogante ka na ba dahil kaibigan mo si Raven?" rinig kong tanong niya habang nakangisi. "You're probably just another nuisance to them. Pabigat at mahina pero sumasama-sama pa sa mga halimaw na 'gaya nila. Siguro nahihiya na silang makasama ka-"

Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili. Bigla akong tumayo at lumingon sa kaniya, ang nakakuyom kong kamao ay agad na nakipaghalikan sa kaniyang pisngi. Suminghal siya't babalik na sana nang paulanan ko ng suntok ang kaniyang tiyan. My last attempt at a punch was stopped when he grabbed my hand, but I twisted it and hit his thigh, which must have had an injury because it's one of his weak points. He fell with his back turned on me. Unintentionally, intending to finish the match, I hit the side of his head.

Bumigat ang katawan niya. That's when I realized what I had just done. I gasped, shaking away from his hold, only for Foster's unconscious body to hit the ground with a loud thud. Mas lalo akong kinabahan.

"Omg, omg, hala!" nilapitan ko ang mukha niya. "Hala, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you that hard..."

Hindi ko alam kung saan ilalagay ang kamay, if I should check his head or leave it. Natatakot akong baka pala ano na ang nangyari sa kaniya dahil hindi ko nakontrol ang galit kanina.

It's not the insults. No, I'm used to hearing that. But I didn't want them to assume what Raven and the others were feeling. I hated them deciding about what Raven might feel, painting her as everyone's villain just because she doesn't want to follow rules or that she's untamed chaos. Ayoko rin na maimpluwensiyahan nila ako na gano'n ang isipin.

Unless Raven tells me herself, then I won't stop being her friend.

"Tamara, it's alright." I felt Sir Andreas helping me to get up. Sa likod niya ay dumating ang mga medics para kunin si Foster. "You've won and he's just lost consciousness. Hindi siya namatay." dagdag niya, humor evident in his tone.

"Ah, ay... ano kasi, wala, nagulat lang po." napakamot ako sa ulo. "Sorry..."

Sir Andreas patted me, smiling. "You did great, Tamara. See you in the next round."

"T-Thank you po..."

I ducked my head to hide my flaming cheeks. Exiting the ring happened quickly because I practically speed-walked to Raven's side. Kung may plano man siyang manukso, her amused eyes were enough given which were the exact opposite of Azriel's watchful gaze. Wala namang sinabi ang dalawa nang makaupo ako.

It was the meddling Giovanni who opened his mouth.

"Crush mo si Andreas, Tam?"

Mas lalo akong namula sa tanong niya. Raven was about to laugh, stopping herself just in time and peeking at Azriel who sat stiffly beside me.

"Hindi, ah!" I argued, slapping Giovanni's teasing hands away. 'Ayie' siya ng 'Ayie' habang pilit na hinahawakan ang pisngi ko. "Hindi sabi!"

"Stop it, Gio. You're not just pestering her but making an annoying noise for others."

He turned his attention to Azriel. "Woahh. P're, 'yan ata pinakamahabang sinabi mo, ah. What changed?" he grinned, pointing at the other's chest. "Ito ba?"

A glare was thrown his way and suddenly, shadows crept from behind Gio's neck to finally shut him up. Ayaw ko man na ginagamit ang soulstone sa ibang tao, unless in an official match or a desperate situation, it was pleasant to see Giovanni with his mouth shut. Lagi kasing may sinasabi at pinangbibiro. Wala pa naman sa mood si Raven ngayon.

There were only five pairs left before the second round started. Since there were twenty-five Selected per match group, there's an extra person. Ang twenty-fifth student ng Match A ay kakalabanin ang twenty-fifth student rin ng Match B for the second round. In short, they're the automatic winners for the first round. They were given randomly; sa amin, si Dayang na kumakain-kain lang, habang sa kabila naman, si Dustine.

However, someone's changed the rules.

"Ano daw?" tanong ni Giovanni kay Sir Andreas habang kinakalikot ang ilong. "Iibahin ang line up?"

Nakatayo kami sa gitna ng Hantei Hall. The winners of Match A facing the victors of Match B. The next round was supposed to be introduced when the announcer suddenly announced a slight interruption and Andreas was summoned.

"This was the order from above," his vague answer came. "It wouldn't be completely changed, just that the twenty-fifth student won't be fighting each other anymore. The matches will be randomly fixed."

We were assigned a number secretly, one that would be announced before the start of the match. Kaya naman habang naghihintay kami sa gilid ay wala kaming kaalam-alam kung sino ang makakaharap namin. It could be someone as less skilled as me or the top Selected students like Dustine and Damon.

"10 from Match A will be up against 02 from Match B. Please see yourself in the center."

Raven stood up, walking out without a second glance. Naging maingay ang bulong-bulongan nang lumabas si Damon mula doon. Ngunit sa halip na mangamba dahil maglalaban ang magkapatid, I was more bothered by the referee and Dustine's expression. She kept on looking down at her paper, staring at Damon's back. Sumusulyap din siya sa direksiyon ng referee na agad iiling.

It was suspicious. May naplano ba siyang hindi natuloy?

Nawala ang pag-aalala ko nang dumaan ang malamig na hangin sa Hantei Hall. It's as if, even in the light of day, the coldness of the night has come to visit, for two of her children are now fighting.

Pumosisyon ang dalawa. Unlike when they're facing different people, the bloodlust that comes off them is quite similar. The people standing there are not just trained soldiers, but borne cold-blooded killers.

It proved evident on their first step.

Si Damon ang unang gumalaw sa paghakbang niya ng ikalawang paa, ngunit si Raven ang unang umatake. In a blink, she was behind Damon, her leg hiked up for one of her deadly kicks. Kahit na sobrang bilis 'yon para agad mapansin ni Damon, he was quick enough to move away a little, holding his hand up to block Raven's kick.

There was a second of silence, then the two of them exchanged lethal blows.

It was too fast to track down with a naked eye. I've even unconsciously activated my soulstone to study their fight. It was amazing how most of their hits targeted each other's weak points when they don't know that themselves.

Damon caught Raven by her arms, staring at her face and saying something. Hindi ko maintindihan kung ano 'yon, because he also had his head hung low, making it impossible to read his mouth. Ngunit mukhang nagpagalit ito kay Raven. Her fists clenched and with one swift move, she jabbed Damon's chin. Sunod niya itong tinuhod sa tiyan kaya nahulog at may sinabi rin siya dito.

"Az..." umusog ako palapit sa kaniya. "Alam mo ba kung anong pinag-uusapan nila?"

Umiling siya. "But it must be about what has transpired these past few days."

I couldn't help but agree. That was my first thought too, with the competitive Damon now kneeling in front of Raven, as if pleading to be heard and understood.

And Raven's only answer... was to finish him with a kick.